Fusion UP

JOHN BENNETT

After graduating from the Royal College of Art he began working with Tecno in Milano on a number of projects. Learning to take ideas and concepts through to production by following the principals of designing for industrial processes and the concept of “Design without Fashion” were to become a characteristic to be found in many of his future works as an independent design consultancy.

In 1987 he opened a studio in Milano specialising in furniture and product design and his work further focussed on the pursuit of combining human factors, materials and manufacturing processes in the final concept. The studio has developed furniture and products for Tecno Spain, Frezza, Estel, and Matrex in Italy and most recently for Versalink in Malaysia and Vohaw in China.

His work has been exhibited and received awards for “ADI Design Index”, “Design Plus – Light and Building Award”, “Good Design”, The Chicago Athenaeum and “Best of NeoCon Competition” and Chicago Editor’s Choice Award. Silver Prize CIFF 2012. China. MIFF 2016 the Platinum award for best office furniture category.

SAKURA ADACHI

Sakura’s work is characterised by a combination of conceptual and craftsmanship approaches. Many of her products are self-communicating, the story behind the concept and making the best use of characteristics of materials. In her design process, scenarios of how objects are used and people’s behaviours around objects are important issues. It often makes her products results in multi-functional, transformable, products that require space saving solutions.

She obtained BA in Industrial & Craft Design at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, specializing in wood work, and MA in Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London. He graduation work Cave bookcase had a number of publications including The Financial Times and an interview from The New York Times.

Since 2004, she is based in Milan where she collaborated with some renowned design studios where she worked on domestic furniture and office furniture & lighting projects. After opening her own design studio in 2008, she has designed for Italian and international manufacturers such as Alessi, Campeggi, Riva 1920, Taschen, Estel, Martex, Fermob, Tura …etc.

Her products have been selected for Red Dot Design Award, Archiproducts BEST OF 2015 and ADI Design Index in 2016 and many others. She taught at Istituto Europeo di Design Milan in 2012. Since 2014, she is a lecturer on Industrial Design course at ISIA Roma in Pordenone, Italy.